How Bauchi accountant-general transferred funds to private company: Witness
Williams Abimbola, a compliance officer with United Bank for Africa, has testified in the ongoing trial of Bauchi’s accountant-general, Sirajo Jaja, at the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission is prosecuting Mr Siraj alongside Aliyu Abubakar, Abubakar Muhammed Hafiz, Ari Manga and Muhammed Aminu Bose on a five-count amended charge bordering on money laundering, theft, and criminal conversion of public funds.
The defendants were accused of misappropriating public funds totalling N1,635,270,350. They pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Ms Abimbola, who led evidence for the prosecution on Monday, Ekele Iheanacho, alleged that the defendants, as signatories to Bauchi’s sub-treasury accounts, transferred money from the accounts to JASFAD Resources Enterprises, managed by the first defendant, Mr Abubakar.
“My Lord, on the 29 of October 2024, we have three credit transfers into the account of JASFAD from the sub-treasury Bauchi account. We have a transfer of N13,144,500. We also had a transfer of N17,169,300, and there is a transfer of N46,030,500,” Ms Abimbola said in a statement by the EFCC.
While noting that JASFAD’s account received N17,886,250 on November 7, 2024, without the teller’s details being captured, the compliance officer explained that two credit transfers of N12,215,000 and N16,919,750 were made into the account by order of the sub-treasury Bauchi account.
“On 19 November, 2024, we had another transfer by order of the sub-treasury Bauchi account for N90,373,550. On November 22, 2024, we received a credit transfer from the sub-treasury Bauchi account for N140,087,500. Then, on 24 December, 2024, we had two credit transfers by order of the Sub-Treasury Bauchi Account: the first was N24,192,000, and the second was N48,892,500.
“On 27 December, 2024, we had two credit transfers by order of sub-treasury Bauchi account into JASFAD; the first was N335,040,000, and the second transfer was for N300,000,000. On 31 December, we had two transfers by order of the Sub-treasury Bauchi Account of N14,285,527.20. The second transfer is for N26,975,000,” Ms Ambibola explained.
She added, “On 25 February 2025, we had a credit transfer by order of sub-treasury, Bauchi Account to JASFAD Resources of N19,840,000 and N13,020,000. On March 3, 2025, we had a credit transfer by order of the sub-treasury, Bauchi account for N16,105,223.70. On March 5, 2025, we had a credit transfer of N56,642,500.
“On March 7, 2025, we had a credit transfer of N45,923,790. On March 10, 2025, we had a transfer of N11,253,500. On March 12 2025, we had two credit transfers from the sub-treasury Bauchi account to JASFAD Resources Enterprises. The first transfer is for N49,280,000. The second transfer is for N30,720,000, while on March 14, 2025, we had a credit transfer by order of the sub-treasury, Bauchi account of N28,262,500.”
The counsel to the defendants said they would take another date to cross-examine the witness after the testimony.
The trial judge, Obiora Egwuatu, adjourned the matter until October 22, 2026, for the witness’s cross-examination.
We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.
More from Peoples Gazette
Agriculture
FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology
The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices
Politics
Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku
“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”
Africa
Guterres demands Africa’s minerals create jobs, backs permanent UN seats
António Guterres has demanded an end to the plundering of Africa’s mineral resources, insisting the continent’s wealth must create jobs and prosperity for Africans.
Economy
Nigeria push for end of exploitation of Africa’s mineral resources at UNGA81
President Bola Tinubu has called for a fresh continental push to end the exploitation of Africa’s critical mineral resources.
Heading 4
Lawyer Ikeni Mbako-Allison suspended after being found guilty of harassing woman in UK
“Ikeni Mbako-Allison, a barrister, behaved in a way which is likely to diminish the trust and confidence which the public would place in him or in the profession,” the BSB said.
Abuja
Dangote Refinery: Abuja motorists, commuters decry delay in petrol price cuts
Motorists and commuters across Abuja have decried petrol stations’ failure to reduce petrol prices following the Dangote Refinery’s latest N25 per litre cut.
Anti-Corruption
Crown Medical Solutions, owners reach agreement with U.S. govt over fraudulent billing scheme
Crown and its owners, Michelle and Philanzo King, have agreed to pay $825,000 to resolve allegations of submitting false claims to Medicare for payment.
World
UK govt charges Vincent ‘Bajinya’ Brown with crimes linked to Rwandan genocide
The UK police, in a statement on Monday, said Mr Brown was the first to be charged in the UK over a link to the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda.
